To Keep the Flame Burning
by Zirconiafire
Summary: What happens when Fawkes flies away after Dumbledore's death? Fawkes' POV. "Hurt/Comfort, but not too angsty
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first ever fanfic! Please, _please_ review, any feedback would be amazing, and well appreciated. **

**I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>To Keep the Flame Burning<p>

In the silence of the silvery emptiness, the soft rustle of feathers was as loud as an angry crackle of thunder.

Fawkes turned his great golden head and noticed, in the corner of this vision, a small, white creature with its head under its wing. Well, small compared to a phoenix. Fawkes knew that snowy owls were quite large among others of their kind. This realization brought to mind the image of a tiny pygmy owl, Pigwidgeon, as he believed it was named, flying in dizzying circles around a boy with ginger hair who was madly trying to catch the tiny bird. And all the while being watched amusedly by the fiery-haired one's friend: a boy with messy black hair, piercing green eyes, and a lightning scar.

The phoenix, after this thought, was brought sharply back to reality. He had come to understand, during his time in the calm silvery abyss, that the place made even your thoughts slow. In this… world, as he came to think of it as, he never hungered, thirsted or grew tired. And he had no concept of time, so that it could have been a second, or an eternity from the time he arrived here to the time that this snowy owl, Hedwig, as was his sudden realization was her name, spontaneously appeared.

Fawkes sang out a greeting to the sleeping creature. He knew that his voice was lost to those on earth, but felt quite sure that Hedwig would be able to hear. And sure enough, no sooner had he called out when a beak, followed by a fluffy round head, appeared. Hedwig shook out her feathers reflexively and blearily blinked her amber eyes at the gold and red bird that had interrupted her sleep.

"Fawkes, where are we?" Hedwig's soft hoot betrayed no surprise at the phoenix's presence in the unknown place. The golden bird paused for a moment before replying, choosing his words carefully.

"I'm not sure. I thought before that this must be my… Sanctuary. Until now…" Fawkes' eyes leveled with Hedwig's. "When you came here, I wasn't sure."

Fawkes knew that in this silvery world, strong emotions did not exist; that something about the place blanketed you in serenity, and blocked out many other emotions. Hedwig, however, managed to look a little offended at the phoenix's observation.

"Well, I'm sorry I interrupted your peace," the owl ruffled her ivory-white feathers, annoyed. "I didn't ask to come here, you know."

"You misunderstand me," Fawkes replied, in a tone reminiscent of his late master. "Phoenixes… have a complicated life cycle. Most humans and creatures know that when we die, we are reborn from the ashes of our last flame. But nothing- no creature or wizard or plant or monument or nation- exists forever. We, like every other creature, do not know when our death will be; it could be a matter of months after our birth, or of centuries, but it will come."

During this, Hedwig's expression had softened, though she still appeared confused. "But-" she cocked her head slightly, "You've died- or whatever it is that you do before you're reborn- several times. How do you know when you're actually… you know. And why would you actually die… permanently? What makes that time different from all of the others?"

"Your first question is most widely understood between phoenixes, and will be answered in due course. However, I shall attempt to answer your second question first, as it is important that you understand."

As he was saying this, Fawkes realized how much his old master's wise, yet convoluted ways had influenced him. Even while speaking, his memory brought him back to a little over four years previously, when Dumbledore was having a similar conversation with a disheveled boy carrying a ruby-encrusted sword, Hedwig's master, and one of the two boys whose wand contained a feather from Fawkes' own tail.

"It is my belief," the phoenix continued, "That a phoenix's final death- one from which there is no return- occurs when the phoenix has outlived its earthly purpose. My case was a rather unusual one, though not unheard of. I formed a bond with my late master: a bond not unlike one between a wizard and his wand. And I knew that the hour that Albus Dumbledore died would be my last also…"

Fawkes sat musingly in the silence for a few moments; he was almost sure that were he a human, he would be pacing the insubstantial floor of the silvery place. This continued until Hedwig cleared her throat hesitantly, apparently sensing that the larger bird would possibly stay in this meditative state for all eternity unless it was interrupted.

"So how do you…"

"How do I know when my death is my last?" Fawkes gradually came out of his reverie. "When we die, 'permanently' as you said, we do not burst into flames. Instead, we simply fly away. We sing a final song of passing, a 'Swan song' as it were. I sang my song to aid in passing both myself and my master from this life to the next. Well, I say this life. I believe I may already be in the next. For us phoenixes- though it may be for other creatures as well, I do not know- we continue flying until we reach our Sanctuary."

"Is this your Sanctuary then?"

"I'd thought it was. I'd been flying for what felt like an eternity. My wings never tired, for in death, earthly weakness is taken from you as well. And then all of the sudden, everything slowed, became dream-like, and the cloud of silvery mist engulfed me, just as we are engulfed in it now. And there- _here_ I suppose- I rested, rested in such stillness and silence and perpetual peace that were I living, my body would decay as I sat" He shifted his ever-magnificent wings subconsciously. "And then you came, and my understanding of where I was- am- was … buffeted aside." Fawkes' voice betrayed a hint of humour, though his face remained fairly impassive. He blinked benignly, gold eyes again meeting amber, and he said quite gently, "Am I right in thinking that you, too, have left the world of the living?

Until now, Hedwig had been listening intently and watching the larger bird with wide eyes. But then the phoenix watched as she held back a snort with difficulty. "When you say it like that, it sounds like a big adventure!"

At this, Fawkes had a sudden memory of golden glasses and a silver beard, and the words "To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure". That particular memory, Fawkes had seen recounted in the pensieve, watched by a fondly chuckling Dumbledore. He chose to say nothing, however, as Hedwig continued,

"But yes, I do believe I am dead. I didn't see it coming, though. I knew we were all in danger, because we were flying from those cloaked wizards. We were in the air, flying, but I was in my cage. Then this bright green flash lit up the silver bars- of my cage, I mean- and then I was floating away. I remember my body was destroyed…" The owl lifted her wing to her face experimentally, as though making sure it was really there. "And the last thing I heard was- was my master… screaming my name…"

At this, Hedwig's face broke into desolation. She began to shudder, and cry out in mournful hoots full of pain and despair. Fawkes knew that she was mourning, not for herself, but for the one she had left behind, whose path was to be one of the most difficult endured by any creature. It was clear that Harry Potter had loved the owl very much; Fawkes knew that Hedwig knew this, and that her sorrow was for the boy's loss. The phoenix was amazed and touched by the selflessness of the smaller bird, and the love _she_ showed by her mourning. This mutual bond of love was quite unlike Fawkes' and Dumbledore's relationship, the phoenix reflected. The two of them were more 'comrades-in-arms, fight-t0-the-death-together' lifelong friends. But Hedwig and Harry were family, and sometimes the only family the other had.

Two great teardrops rolled from the owl's eyes, fell, and were lost in the cloudy abyss where they were standing. At this, Fawkes' instincts took over. He fluttered (or hopped, more accurately) to where Hedwig sat a few feet away, and wrapped one of his great red-gold wings around the other bird. He wished his magical tears could heal the great wounds in her mind and heart. Instead, he began singing softly. The music emanated hope and courage. It acknowledged Hedwig's pain, but told her to let it go. He wove harmonies into his own voice, as only a phoenix can, and the song was filled with strength, strength that, Fawkes knew, was passed onto whoever heard it. He felt the bird beside him breathe easier as his song ended, and when it did, he spoke softly,

"We phoenixes have a small gift of prophecy. I can't say specifically, but I know Harry Potter will be ok" The smallest of pauses, then "And I know that we will be too."

Fawkes felt, rather than saw, the owl's eyes looking straight into his as he gazed out at the silvery mist, and continued, "I understand now. This was never my Sanctuary, but a kind of in-between place. No creature is meant to be alone for eternity. I was simply waiting here for something, and now it has come, so I-_we_- can now move on to our final place of rest."

"We will be ok… Is that a prophecy as well?"

"No, but we will be. It is natural to be scared of the unknown, and I was. But now, I am not worried"

"Why?"

"Because I am with you"

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><p><strong>AN: So ya, I tried to add in a lot of Harry/Dumbledore parallels (in their respective pets, I mean) as a basis for their personalities. Please let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Ok so I originally had _every_ intention of making this story a Oneshot, but I forgot to click "Complete" while uploading it, and then a few people reviewed, saying they wanted to see what happened next, and of course that got me wondering as well... So I guess you can call it a happy mistake, (or a sad mistake if this completely screws it up) but yes I _am_ continuing this story (if that wasn't obvious from the below continuation...)**

**This probably won't be a very long story, as I am sort of making it up as I go along. I do have a plan for where it's going eventually. It'll probably be 3 or 4 chapters in total, and it may be a while between updates. I'll try to be as fast as possible, though.**

**So THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH for those people who reviewed, alerted and or favourited this story, it means so much to me, especially since this is my first fic. I could go on for ages, but I'm assuming now you just want me to end this author's note so you can read, so I will be as brief as possible. YOU ARE AMAZING! **

**Oh! I forgot a disclaimer for the first chapter, so for both: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER!**

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><p>To Keep the Flame Burning part 2<p>

They were flying again. Fawkes wasn't quite sure how he had come to do so; it appeared as though the silvery mist he had been inhabiting had clouded his usually sharp mind. Thinking back on it, he could barely remember what had happened in what he now mentally called the "in-between place". When he actually _looked_ back, the silver cloud was nowhere to be seen. They were flying through pure white air now, which, unlike the in-between place, wasn't foggy and Fawkes could see in perfect clarity for miles around him. Upon leaving the place, all his senses had sharpened; really, it was like he had never been there. Of course, there was one significant and quite welcome change from his last flight: this time he was not alone.

Hedwig seemed to be in a particularly good mood, joyously soaring beside him and occasionally letting out a hooting laugh. Fawkes guessed she was reveling in the newfound freedom of flight without tiring. In the silence of wherever it is they were flying through now, the noise sounded a bit strange, but a part of Fawkes thought it was just what the solemn air needed. In fact, her laugh was so contagious, he caught himself letting out his own melodious chuckle, and in laughing harmony they flew on.

After a short while however, it could have been minutes or even an hour, Fawkes became slightly unsure of himself. He realized that they may have been a bit too quick in their decision to just fly until they arrived somewhere. In truth, Fawkes had been at the time too filled with excitement at the prospect of a new destination, and perhaps a tiny bit of desperation to get away from the place that clouded his senses, to think rationally. Hedwig seemed to be thinking along the same lines as she called out conversationally,

"Fawkes, where are we going?"

"I'm not sure… but don't worry, it's not as though anything bad can happen to us now." He tried to inject a bit of irony into his voice to hide his uncertainty.

"Still, as much as I'm enjoying flying around aimlessly, I _would_ like to think we're actually accomplishing something here. I mean, I hope we're not destined to fly around for all eternity. Even if my body won't tire, I'm not sure my mind won't go… I don't know, comatose or something"

_She's right, of course_, Fawkes reflected. Then he thought of something.

"What do you think would happen if we just stopped flying? I know it sounds unnatural, but-"

"-What's the worst that could happen, right?" The owl finished his sentence for him, looking over with a slight grin. "I'm game. You know, I feel up to just about anything now. On three, then?"

Fawkes laughed at her professional approach, but was also strangely grateful for it. It sounded so simple, and yet so out of the ordinary, to stop flying in mid-air- or whatever it was. This life was so strangely complicated; it was hard to wrap his head around just about anything. "Alright then, one…"

"two…"

"_three!_"

The two birds shut their eyes, folded their wings in and braced themselves for a certain endless drop into oblivion. When this didn't seem to be the case, Fawkes opened an eye cautiously, before remembering that caution wasn't really necessary anymore. It didn't _feel_ like they were falling, in fact, there wasn't even a breeze ruffling his feathers like there was when they were flying. They seemed simply to be suspended, unsupported, in nothingness. He opened his other eye, and stretched out his head, wings and feet, testing out this new sensation. He noticed Hedwig doing the same beside him. The owl, always the first to vocalize her thoughts, said

"Well this is different. But I'm glad I'm not about to die a second time, like I thought I might." Her voice was light, but she sounded half-serious. Fawkes chuckled at that, to which she said "Hey, it's alright for you, you've died so often before…"

"Remember this is the first time I've _really_ died, please don't make me explain that again. I'm still just as new at, well… let's call it _this_ life, as you are."

She rolled her eyes slightly. "I know. But this is just so unnatural, it'll take me a while to get used to, you know?"

Fawkes murmured in assent. It really would. But they did have an eternity to figure that out…

At the same time, or so it appeared, the two decided that their state of suspension was a good opportunity to figure out where to go from there, wherever there was, of course. However neither of them seemed to know quite what to say, or how to point out what Fawkes, and likely Hedwig as well, was thinking: that they could quite possibly be lost in nothingness forever if they didn't do something. Fawkes was the first to break the silence, and a question he had been wondering about for a long time came to the surface.

"What do the owls say happens after death? I've told you the phoenixes' theory, but it could be different for others." As he said this, an unpleasant thought crossed his mind. What if neither he nor Hedwig _could_ go to their 'final resting place' as long as they were together? He quickly pushed the thought away; he already had enough to think about at the moment.

"I was always under the impression that we were just guided…somewhere by something. To be honest, I never really thought about it. And during my life, I never really had any other owls to talk to. I was orphaned, just as Harry was, and I was never influenced by other owls. I just made my own opinions on everything, and when I was _living, _that was easy." She looked half-frustrated, half-amused. "How is it that being dead makes your life so much harder?"

_Curious_, Fawkes thought. Phoenixes, being mostly solitary creatures, never had any legends saying that they were guided, or even accompanied, into the next life. Fawkes, while thinking about this, realized that since he had been joined by Hedwig, the idea of going off by himself was nearly unthinkable. Then, noticing he had been quiet for a few moments, he quickly brought his mind around to the rest of what Hedwig had said, and asked

"So what's your opinion on this… situation now?" He looked over at her, and caught a flash of decisive intuition in her eye as she spoke, saying

"My opinion… no, my _certainty_, is that where we are now _can't_ be all there is to the afterlife. I've worked too hard during my life for _that_." Her voice was a mixture of emotions, a little bitterness, a little humour, but mostly determination. Her amber eyes looked straight into Fawkes's golden ones, and, had he not known better, he'd have thought that in death she had acquired the power of mind-reading as she said "And I _know_ we're supposed to do this together. We're supposed to go through life with companions, why should we go through death alone? You had Dumbledore and I had Harry, but more than that, the world is full of people. I will fully admit that we're lost," She grinned wryly and gestured around at the nothingness surrounding them, "But we'll get out of it."

_And I always thought Phoenixes were supposed to be leaders_, Fawkes thought, looking at the owl with pride, though he wasn't sure why _he_ should be proud.

"You're right, of course. I know there's got to be _some_ way out of this… purgatory. I feel as though the solution is right there, just beyond my grasp. But," a thought occurring to him, "in the meantime…" He twitched his tail, and willed a feather to fall, praying that this small bit of magic was still inside him. As soon as the dislodged feather stopped touching him, it burst into flame. Hedwig screeched and somehow moved through the air away from the now gently burning feather.

"Sorry!" the phoenix said, apologetic but laughing, "I always find a little fire always lifts my spirits and helps me think"

"And I always find a little fire burns me to a crisp"

"Sorry," he said again.

"It's okay," her breathing slowly returning to normal "Just, a little warning next time?"

He laughed. "You know, you can't get burned here. At least, probably not." He eyed the reddish glow. "And to be honest, I was just desperate to see some colour in this bleak world. No offense" he added quickly, glancing at Hedwig.

"None taken" she said lightly, observing her own feathers, only a shade darker than their surroundings. "I guess I was the lucky one in that respect…" She looked up at the larger bird, her eyes lingering a bit longer on his golden plumage than was usual.

Fawkes smiled slightly, but then sighed and looked longingly at the little flame. It reminded him of Dumbledore's office, with its gently whirring contraptions, and smiling portraits, and how the old wizard never failed to light a candle next to the phoenix's perch at night…

The phoenix's eyes snapped wide open. The flame, which was intrinsically connected to the bird from which it came, flashed brightly at his sudden change in emotion, causing Hedwig to jump slightly and then look up at Fawkes.

"What is it?"

"_Dumbledore!_"

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><p><strong>AN: So I'm not sure if it's possible for birds to stop flying in the middle of a flight or anything, but if it isn't, let's just say they can now because they're dead and in a magical world... yeah. **

**Review plz? :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, so I'm _really_ sorry about the delay in posting, I was away for the last week and a half without internet access. And it's sad because this chapter is so ridiculously short, and nothing much really happens. BUT I thought it was important, so here it is. Also, I've already written about half of the next chapter, and SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS in it! And I will do my best to post it soon.**

**Please, _please_ review, I am so insanely appreciative of every one I get. It's so nice to know what people think, again, even a few words are amazing!**

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><p>To Keep the Flame Burning Part 3<p>

"Dumbledore?" Hedwig asked, sounding taken aback at Fawkes' abrupt change of expression, "What about him?"

Fawkes's mind was racing as he tried to piece together what his subconscious had apparently already figured out. The flame he had created was now emitting sparks, so he tried, for Hedwig's sake (who was looking quite warily at it) to calm his thoughts. He also realized he owed his companion an explanation as to his sudden revelation.

"What did you used to think of when you imagined heaven, or the afterlife? Wouldn't you think that everyone you'd ever loved, and that had died, would be there, waiting for you?"

"Haven't I told you? I never thought about the afterlife when I was living. My life was simple back then, I didn't really need to speculate on those things, and so I didn't. Besides, before I died, the only person I loved was Harry." She quickly looked away from Fawkes, almost as if… as if she was embarrassed by something she had just said. She hurriedly added "And to the best of my knowledge, he's still alive. Okay, and maybe Errol and Pigwidgeon, -_very_ deep down- but they're still alive too…"

A small part of Fawkes's mind was feeling guilty that he had stopped paying attention to the other bird after she'd looked away from him, but the greater portion of it was focused on what she had said just before she had done so. _Before I died, the only person I loved was Harry_. Could the owl possibly have been implying…

He shoved that particular thought into the archive of thoughts that seemed to be accumulating in the back of his mind to think about later. He was slightly frustrated at death for not giving his mind more space in which to think and organize thoughts. It seemed only fair, as he had an eternity in which to use it. He wished he had a pensieve… _Oh yes, Pensieve, Dumbledore, Back to the issue at hand._

"But I loved Albus Dumbledore, more than any other human, and he _is_ dead. So shouldn't he be waiting somewhere for me?"

"I don't know, Fawkes. What if that's not how it works? I mean, I've never talked to a dead person when I was alive, everything we thought we knew is just imagination, isn't it?"

Fawkes knew she was right, but was also determinedly undaunted. "But I just know it. I…I can feel him," he said, just as he realized it himself. It wasn't just his imagination, there was something there, reaching out to him, and connecting him and his bonded friend. "And I know he's just one person, but when you're…in our position, two companions would be better than one, wouldn't they?"

Hedwig, for some reason, didn't look to enthusiastic about this idea, but she sighed and gestured with her ivory wing for him to continue.

"Besides, what do we have to lose? The way I see it, either I follow this… pull towards him, or we stay here forever, or we try to find our own way, in which there'd be a certain risk, of course, and only a very slight chance we'd actually find somewhere, if there is anywhere of course. The way I see it, this is the only chance we've got."

"I guess so. Logic, right?"

Fawkes smiled to himself. The owl really had gotten to know him well during the… however long it was they had been together. And, he realized, he had come to understand certain things about her as well, the insightful speeches, the sharp, clever comments, and the fact that she kept to herself a lot, just as he must appear to do.

"I just don't want you to get hurt, Fawkes. I know he means so much to you" The owl's tone had changed suddenly, from almost flippant to somber and sincere.

There it was again, the phoenix noted. Her flashes of intuition were almost unsettling. And he had thought that _he_ was the wise one of the two. But here he was, chasing after what the tiny, practical part of his brain was nagging him could possibly be just desperation.

"Thank you, Hedwig. I really mean it. I know Albus Dumbledore's just a name to you, and I'm so grateful that you understand he means so much to me. And I'm touched that you care so much. But it's not only _him_. We may get a new home out of this, and I think I'm willing to take the chance, if just for that."

Suddenlly, the owl somehow floated over to him and embraced him in a wing.

"You're brilliant, Fawkes, I hope you know that." She floated away slightly, but kept his gaze. "I l- I'm so glad you're here with me."

The phoenix was suddenly itching to tell her that she was the brilliant one, not him, but something held him back. For the moment, he sufficed to say "I'm glad it's you who's with me too. I mean," he amended quickly, "I'm glad I'm not alone through this." Except he wasn't really amending anything, he really had meant every word of what he'd said before.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: SOOOO this took a lot longer to write than was originally intended... I can only say that this is my very favourite chapter so far, and I wanted to get it perfect, so I spent _hours_ working on it- not to complain, or sound self-indulgent, because I did really enjoy writing it. And as promised, something does happen. Sort of. Well, it starts to happen, anyways... does that count? ANDDD it's extra long, exactly 3000 words on my document (though apparently disagrees...) making this the longest _thing_ I have ever written. yay *tiny firework* So, without further ado, please enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own, well anything really. The title, maybe?**

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><p>To Keep the Flame Burning part 4<p>

"So what's your plan? How do we get to Dumbledore?"

Fawkes had to admit he was a bit unsure of how to put his idea into action. But as a phoenix, he knew there was always one thing he could fall back on to help in any situation.

"Fire. It's the one thing phoenixes can rely on no matter what. In my life, I could always travel through fire, sort of like a witch or wizard does with floo powder, if you've heard of that. Except of course I don't need any magical aid."

"Umm, Fawkes, were you planning on, um, bringing me with you? Because last time I checked, I'm just an owl. If I'd tried to travel through fire I would have been burned to ashes. And don't say it wouldn't hurt me because I'm dead. I think I understand that by now. But I'm not sure it would actually bring me anywhere…"

"Of course not, so I'll use a different kind of fire transportation. I did it all the time with Dumbledore. Do you remember when we 'mysteriously escaped' when the minister had Albus cornered in his office?" He flashed her an almost mischievous grin as he recalled that day. The smile felt odd on his face, he was usually so serene and serious. He realized this… playfulness was an aspect of his personality only Hedwig had ever brought out in him. Strange. "I'll need a big fire, though. This little one won't be as effective." He gestured to the tiny flame that was still burning faithfully. "I don't even think I can will it big enough."

Hedwig laughed suddenly. He gave her a questioning look, and she said,

"A little vain, aren't we? Afraid you'll lose your lovely plumage too soon?"

The phoenix looked at her, half guilty, half apologetic.

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, your feather grew back as soon as the other one fell out. Apparently death is on your side in _that_ respect. Determined to preserve your -ahem- perfect self." Her eyes were sparkling, her voice challenging. And a phoenix never backed out of a challenge.

"And if anything ever happened to your divine form, I'm sure you'd return lovelier than ever," he said in mock seriousness.

The owl looked taken aback, as though she wasn't expecting this kind of rebuttal at all, but also the tiniest bit pleased. After a moment she said

"Alright, just get on with your magical moulting." The humour was evident in her voice but she took several steps back from him. Apparently the instinctive fear of flame was still difficult to overcome. For some reason, he hoped she _would_ eventually get used it. He took a great breath and spread his wings. Before he had moved another muscle, however, his feathers were already cascading off of him and bursting into flame around him, as though they had read his thoughts. It seemed that this was another power he had acquired since being dead. As they did so, he saw, but didn't quite feel, new feathers reappearing almost instantly. He was glad of this; whenever he was 'reborn' featherless (when he was alive, of course) he always felt so naked and vulnerable.

He soon deemed the fire big enough, and as soon as the thought crossed his mind, his feathers stopped falling. He lowered his wings slowly, basking for a moment in the warm comfort of the flames, before fluttering over to his companion. Once beside the owl, who was still relatively far away from the blaze, he turned to admire his handiwork, but caught Hedwig's eye. A mixture of emotions played across her expressive face: Shock, amazement, and for some reason, a little sadness.

"That was… definitely a sight to behold". The owl sounded almost wistful. After a moment, Fawkes noticed something was seriously troubling the smaller bird. She gave a deep sigh and stared into the fire rather than looking at the phoenix who had created it.

"Hedwig, what's wrong?" Are you worried about going through the fire? I promise there's nothing to it, I'll be there the whole way-"

"No, it's not that- well not _only_ that…" She finally looked at Fawkes, and he was shocked to see pain in her eyes. "What am I doing here, Fawkes? Out of the two of us, I haven't been helping at all. I'm just this stupid little owl that follows you around. And _you_. You're so magical and wise and…" She took a deep breath. "When you were alive, you could do all these things, you were practically _immortal_ and _strong_, and even your bloody _tears_ were magic. And _now, _you can make fire spontaneously appear, you can travel wherever you like, you have contact with your old master, you're _prophetic_…And I'm so _useless_, I'm not magical in the slightest, I barely know anything, and I—I'm slowing you down, I think."

She was angry, that was obvious, but what was really overwhelming was the absolute despair with which she talked. Her breath was coming in shuddering gasps, and her eyes were quite wet. Fawkes was almost sure the anger and sadness wasn't directed _at_ him, but he knew he was, though not entirely through his own fault, the cause of much of it. He felt terrible for her, and wished for nothing more than to comfort her. But phoenixes were solitary creatures, and he really had no idea how to help her feel better. His voice itched to start singing a song for the poor creature, but he feared this might make her even angrier, by further proving her point of his many magical qualities.

She was right about that. Every word she said about his ability was entirely true, though at the moment he wasn't very happy about it. But not a single thing she'd said about her_self_ was. She _had_ helped him in so many ways, providing him companionship, comfort, an amazing friend… She inspired him, supported him and even changed him. She made him truly happy. She'd said she was stupid. Didn't she _see_ how brilliant and intelligent she was? Did she not notice the way her intuition flashed unexpectedly, the way she always had a witty remark ready, how her wisdom was nearly boundless? He wished he could tell her this, but he knew that Hedwig was very practical, that she _did_ doubt herself, and that she probably wouldn't believe him. There must be some way to show her, though…

"I mean," the ivory bird seemed determined to get everything out, or perhaps the phoenix's fire trick had opened the floodgate for an apparently large rush of repressed emotions. "I know it's not your fault, that you can do everything, and I _love_ being able to… see all of this, but I hate it too, Fawkes. I've been gifted, and cursed. I _want_ to stay with you, I really do, but I don't want to- to hold you back- I thought it was supposed to be us together but-" her voice broke at this, he could barely hear the miserable bird's next whispered words, "maybe I was wro-"

"No."

"Wha-?" her voice caught, her huge eyes, from which tears were now freely flowing, drifted upwards to finally meet his.

"No. You're not leaving me, Hedwig. I couldn't deal with that. It's been… I don't even know how long since I met you in the silvery place, but to see you go now… I couldn't take it. You're not slowing me down at all, you're helping me more than I could tell you-"

"But-"

"Look, Hedwig, do you trust me?

"I-I…" she sniffed, "of course I-"

"I'm going to ask you to do something, and I know you won't be exactly comfortable with it, but if you trust me, I think it will do you some good. Are you- are you willing to try it?"

Hedwig looked scared, but the phoenix could see curiosity and a tiny bit of hope shining through. She nodded slowly.

"Will you walk through the fire?"

The owl's eyes widened; she looked utterly confused now.

"Are you mad?"

"No, please," He looked at her carefully, entreating, "I'm completely serious, I swear, I-"

"Okay." She sniffed, but the resolve in her voice was unmistakable. "I don't know what you're up to, Fawkes, but I trust you."

The phoenix's face relaxed and he tried to smile.

"That means a lot, Hedwig."

He watched as the owl took a deep, steadying breath and fluttered over to the sparking, crackling blaze. It looked like home to him, but he knew it was terrifying for her. He fully intended to make this as easy for her as possible, so he went over to the fire, opposite Hedwig, to wait for her to fly into his wings…wait, what? Well, he'd be there anyways.

From where he was standing, Fawkes could feel the heat of the flames. He hoped that wouldn't be too unnerving for the smaller bird, but she didn't actually look as terrified as she was before of the fire. Right now, she looked completely focused and determined. She was staring straight ahead, straight at _him_, he realized, but it was likely that her mind was somewhere else, preparing for her. She took a step, then another, her feet somehow finding purchase on the insubstantial 'floor'. Her talon was an inch from the closest tongue of flame when she broke into a sort of hopping run, her wings slightly outstretched, through the fire. It was surprisingly graceful. He was barely even caught up in that fact, though, when he felt a startling impact on his chest. A white ball of feathers had collided with him; Hedwig had done it.

She backed up dizzily, and then made a little movement, as though if she weren't indefinitely suspended in the air her legs would have given out.

"How do you feel?" Fawkes asked her carefully.

"It was… not that bad. Actually, it was kind of… pleasant. It's weird, you can feel the heat coming off the fire, but when you're in it, it's not. Hot, I mean. Warm, yes, but comforting, like a bath would be… What is it?" She stopped talking and turned, looking half annoyed, half amused at the phoenix, who was now almost full-out laughing.

"I'm sorry," Fawkes tried to calm his laughter, so that Hedwig wouldn't think he was making fun of her. He was really laughing because he was relieved, and amazed. "It's just, that's exactly how I feel whenever I'm immersed in the fire. As though I'm standing in a stream of warm but refreshing water, and the steam is wafting about me, heating every feather…" He stopped himself as he realized he was waxing poetic about his… home. That's what fire was, really. The one true place where he found solace, just as the Potter boy had found solace at Hogwarts, and Albus had found solace with his family. He wondered if Hedwig had ever found any place or person or thing like that.

"So are you going to explain to me what that was all about?"

"Well, there were a few reasons," The phoenix wanted to convey his complex train of thought as clearly as possible. "Firstly, I wanted to show you that we're on even footing here. So to speak, of course." He fluttered his feet through the air a little as he said this. Apparently Hedwig had caught on to the irony as she glanced down at them and smiled, then looked back at his face for him to continue. "I may have been born a magical creature, but I don't want you to be intimidated by that. And I _certainly_ don't want you to think I'm even the slightest bit _better_ than you, because that couldn't be further from the truth." He took a deep breath, knowing his next words could be pivotal, "The second and third reasons are sort of connected. I want you to feel comfortable around- around me". The owl's eyes betrayed her immediately, though it was barely a glimpse before she settled into a questioning and carefully nonchalant expression. By the time he had identified it, it was gone, but it was there: a tiny flash of hope. Steadfastly refusing to let that distract him, he ploughed on. It was important she understand. "Fire is my life, or a lot of it anyways, and you… you're one of the closest friends I've ever had, even in the short time I've known you… though of course _time_ is relative here. And I hope we'll keep travelling together, and I hope once we get to our Sanctuary, even if they're not…in the same place, we'll still be able to see each other. And I don't want you to live in fear of such a big part of me. And that's the third reason, really. You showed so much bravery, especially since your every instinct was probably telling you to fly away as far as you could. You are _not_ just some owl, you're extremely clever and brave, and one of the most selfless creatures I've ever met. I'm honoured to travel with you. Truly I am. Which… brings me to another point…"

Hedwig had been watching and listening with a slightly teary smile, and he could tell she really did understand what he was trying to say. She had even drifted closer to the fire, as though longing to feel its warmth again, seeming quite comfortable. But at his abrupt change in tone as his last sentence trailed away, she gave him a confused look, edging slightly closer to the phoenix in inquiry.

"See, there's a bit of a problem with the way I travel," Fawkes began. "I can go to whatever place I wish, but… I have to know where it is I'm going. Which I don't. So… I have a… problem," he finished, somewhat redundantly.

"But you know you're trying to get to Dumbledore, right?"

"Yes…"

"So, then what's the problem?"

"Well, see, I don't know where he is, so…"

"Oh…" the look of dawning comprehension barely showed on her face before it was replaced with a look of amazed disbelief. "You mean you- you can't find _people_?" She tried (and failed) to conceal a snort of laughter, quickly shooting him an apologetic glance as she tried to control what appeared to be a near full-on laughing fit. "You can do all these things, but you can't even… -no offense, of course, but-…I'd have felt a _lot_ better if I had known…"

Fawkes's mind was spinning as he took in this abrupt change of attitude. Mood swings were sort of becoming their thing, he guessed. He'd expected (hoped for, even) a very different outcome from his speech; maybe a bit of a 'moment' between the two of them as they realized they both appreciated, admired, even _needed_ the other (in terms of _helping_ each other, of course, he mentally corrected himself. Not… well, never mind). He _did_ sort of wreck it with his admittance that they were, for the moment, still stuck. But even then, he never expected _this_ reaction from the other bird. At least she was cheering up, he supposed.

"I told you I wasn't perfect… why, can _you_ go to people?" he asked rhetorically.

"Well, of course I can, how do you think I deliver letters when all I have to go on is a name? How do you think I found Harry when he left his aunt and uncle's and ended up at the Leaky Cauldron, when he was thirteen? –Well, I guess you didn't know about that, but still-"

Fawkes was stunned by this revelation. "You kept that quiet?" he accused, though not angrily.

"Sorry! I assumed you could to, so it wasn't a big deal. I thought at least all owls could. Though that might explain some of Errol's mishaps, I suppose."

"Wait, Hedwig. Do you think it would be possible- I mean could you maybe…

"Could I take us to Dumbledore?"

"Well, yes."

"I'm not sure. I mean under normal circumstances, of course. And if he's in the same… world as us, I suppose I could fly there, but who knows if that's the case, or how long it would take?"

"You're right, of course. But… how would it be if _I_ provided the transportation, and you the direction? That is to say-"

"We travel through the fire, but I decide where?"

Fawkes nearly sighed in relief that his plan wasn't so far-fetched that the owl could cotton on so quickly. "Yes, well, if you wouldn't mind… giving it a try at least."

"You know what? Let's just do it." Her conviction faltered slightly as she added "Umm, so how do you… do it?"

"Well, let's first both step back into the fire to start. I hope you don't mind doing so..?"

"Not anymore, and I'm extremely glad of it."

"I'm glad of it as well." He flashed her a smile, and the two of them fluttered their wings and floated over to the fire, coming to a halt amidst the dancing flames.

"As an inherently magic creature, I don't use spells" Fawkes figured he may as well explain his magic to the owl as he prepared it. "I control the fire, and it transports me. Now for what we're doing, I'm going to create and maintain the- well I suppose you could call it portal, if you wished- but you'll be steering. So, if I may be the tiniest bit presumptuous to assume you have some method by which you track down a person, you do so, with Albus Dumbledore in mind, and then you direct the portal to take you there."

"And how might I direct the portal?"

"It's very intuitive, easy as flying. Don't worry; I'm sure you can do it."

"Alright, let's just go for it then."

With a flourish of Fawkes's majestic wing, the flames whirled around them, and they vanished.

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><p><strong>AN: So Dumbledore's going to be in the next chapter, and I'm quite excited. (I adore Dumbledore, if you hadn't gathered) I just hope I can attempt to do him justice...**

**If you have a few seconds, I'd love to hear what you think!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I've kept you all waiting FAR too long for this chapter (inexcusably, really) so, my proper Author's Note is at the bottom :)**

* * *

><p>To Keep The Flame Burning Part 5<p>

Hedwig, it transpired, was quite a natural at steering a whirling column of flame through an abyss. Fawkes, of course, was mostly focusing on maintaining their fiery portal, allowing for it to accommodate Hedwig, and allowing for her to steer them towards wherever it is they were heading, so he was quite glad not to also have to think about teaching the owl how to control the flames.

_This,_ Fawkes mused,_ must be how a broomstick feels when someone is riding it. _Not altogether uncomfortable, but rather unusual to give up control.

Fawkes was also focusing on not being distracted by the lovely patterns of dancing light the flames cast on his companion's ivory feathers. Because that wasn't important.

It wasn't long before he noticed the world around them starting to transform. The first change the phoenix noticed was the air outside of their tunnel of flames. A softly glowing golden light was just visible in the distance, and Fawkes surprised himself by how much he missed the colour. Yes, fire was very well, but it was the difference between a blazing bonfire and the flicker of a candle. Fawkes's heart filled with nostalgia at the sight. He could tell that Hedwig could feel it too, she gave a small sigh of longing, and, as though following the two birds' wishes, their column of fire seemed to speed up, towards the light.

The second change was much more subtle than the light, but once it was noticed, Fawkes couldn't believe he hadn't realized it before. It was a taste, a smell, a physical feeling. It was as though he was cold, but hadn't known until he suddenly felt warmer. The air, which had been very crisp and clear and thin, grew richer, fuller, brighter. It was the first thaw after a long winter, a breath of spring air. It-

"It's _exquisite_," Hedwig breathed, her eyes wide.

Yes. That.

And then, almost as quickly, he saw something that he'd never, not even in his most wildly implausible daydreams, thought would evoke in him the feeling that never in his existence would he feel happier than he did at that very moment. Indeed, Fawkes doubted that to either of the birds did the colour green ever look more beautiful.

"Fawkes, look, it's _grass._" Hedwig's tone of voice echoed Fawkes' emotions perfectly. He felt an almost childlike wonder and excitement at all the smallest details, such as how the golden glow was revealed to be sunlight above them, and how its light cascaded onto the grass that seemed to grow from nothing before them. The sunlight melded with the air surrounding them, that was becoming more and more blue as it turned to sky.

Distracted by their changing environment, it took almost a full minute for Fawkes to notice that their column of flames had slowed significantly, and that Hedwig was attempting to get his attention. He tore his unwilling eyes away from the outside scene to focus on his companion, giving her an apologetic look.

"D'you think we could… umm, fly for a bit? I mean, without this fire thing? I feel the strangest need to stretch my wings."

"No- I mean yes, of course, definitely. I feel the same way." Fawkes barely cocked his head, and the flames vanished instantly. Without the ever-changing fiery obstruction in the way, they were now able to fully appreciate their surroundings. And in the same moment, they discovered that although there did not appear to be any notable earth beneath the grass, there was, in fact gravity. Apparently, death was a strange business.

Fawkes only had a split second to contemplate this, however, as the next moment he was tumbling to the ground. Their column of flames had been quite tall, so without noticing, they had been travelling about six or seven metres above the 'earth'. Though in the back of his mind Fawkes knew he couldn't actually get hurt, his instincts kicked in and he eventually was able to balance himself out, beating his wings and relishing in the feeling of having proper air beneath them. Beside him, he saw Hedwig do the same. She giggled, and without her having to say a word of explanation, the phoenix was already aboard her train of thought: _This is real. This is just like living again._

"Come on, Fawkes, let's just go fly around!" Her mood would have been infectious if Fawkes hadn't already felt exactly the same. With more energy than he'd ever had before, he shot off into the sunlight, finally giving into the temptation to let out a loud, melodious laugh as he did so. He acutely heard the rush of wings behind him as Hedwig followed, or attempted to. He, Fawkes admitted to himself, was maybe teasing her a bit. Normal birds could never catch up to a phoenix with a head start, not even falcons or eagles (not that many tried it). He promised himself that after a few seconds of this glorious speed that he'd slow down to give her a chance at reaching him… a few seconds that were stretching longer and longer at his unwillingness to give up the wonderful feeling of _life_ coursing through him.

So it was a bit of a shock to him when he felt a gust of air and caught a glimpse of a long wing shining silver in the sunlight. The phoenix mentally double-checked his speed; he was still flying lightning-fast but as he watched, astonished, the smaller bird's wings sliced through the air beside him, and then began to overtake him. He could hear her laugh in triumph, the whimsical hooting sound whipping around him before being lost in the wind. He was becoming quite fond of it, Hedwig's laugh.

Sparks were flying off his feathers (the way they sometimes did when he was filled with energy or adrenaline) as he attempted to keep up with the streak of silver-white that was his companion. She was like an unstoppable force, as one first discovering what it felt like just to let everything go and be consumed by the sheer speed and power of limitless soaring.

At some point, however, they both at once decided to slow down to a gentle, floating pace. Fawkes knew that the both of them would have been panting and gasping for air after that race but found to his delight that he was just as energized as he had been before he had started. The reality of the moment hit him- he would never be tired again. Apparently the same thought had occurred to his companion.

"This is _insane_, Fawkes, truly mental. I've never even imagined flying that fast or far before, and I feel like I could go on forever. I've never felt so _alive_ before, and I'm not even alive! Maybe death was one of the best things that's happened in my life…"

To anyone else who hadn't been through what the two of them had, that would have sounded like a rather morbid thought. Fawkes knew that Hedwig had had a good life, and she had been happy with her lot, but even as one whose own life had been many times longer than a normal bird's, the phoenix could tell that Hedwig's hadn't been the _fullest_. Not really. Owls are built for flying, but most of the flying she had done was working, delivering mail. And Fawkes knew, just by observing, that Hedwig had loved her job, though a lot of that dedication was due to her love for Harry. But she rarely ever got to experience flying the way it was deeply ingrained into her very soul, the soul of all beings gifted with flight. Flying for joy alone, the way Fawkes believed it ought to be.

"We've been through worlds to get here, Hedwig," Fawkes said quietly. They really had been, the first, the dream-like cloud, in which everything was slowed in a haze of irresistible peace, (no matter how much one wished to resist it) then through the stark, impersonal emptiness that was the world of nothingness, both everywhere and nowhere. A place, Fawkes mused, that would have been nearly inescapable if not for his powers, but more importantly Hedwig's beautiful mind and steadfast determination. Fawkes found himself again, now more than ever, thanking whatever higher power brought him and Hedwig through this together. "Don't you think it's about time something good came of it?"

He inwardly berated himself for that, of course something good -some_one_ good- had already come of it! But it was too late to say anything now. Luckily she seemed to get it, or at least didn't notice.

"I don't know, I've had some fun getting here, I think." Her voice was playful, teasing, but when he looked over, her smile was unexpectedly soft.

"Yes, I suppose I have as well," he replied sincerely. He felt a strong rush of kinship, looking at her. There had probably never been any two creatures who had gone through their small but insane whirlwind of an adventure before. And, paradise though this place might appear to be, Fawkes had a feeling that it wasn't quite over yet. A sharp intake of breath beside him interrupted his thoughts.

"Fawkes! Look over there! Could that possibly be what I think it is?"  
>The phoenix turned his head to follow her gaze and saw a familiar shape emerging in the distance. Familiar, but not something he had seen or thought about for a long time and which, upon seeing it now, evoked in him a strange feeling of nostalgia. Heart beating nearly audibly in anticipation, he fluttered his wings and sped up, feeling Hedwig do the same beside him. The shape- that became clearer by the second- was, Fawkes felt, one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.<p>

"Fawkes?" Hedwig's voice was quiet, filled with awe. "What is becoming of us that I want nothing more at this moment than to sit on a tree branch?"

The arms of the willow stretched out invitingly as the two birds flew, drawn irresistibly towards it. The greyish-green, drooping leaves swayed gently in the slight breeze. As he neared it, Fawkes could see a tiny glittering pond by the tree's roots, surrounded by little multicoloured flowers. His eyes drank in the sight, and the phoenix wondered internally what he could've done in his life to deserve so much beauty all at once.

Hedwig was first to glide through the outer curtain of leaves, with Fawkes close behind. He felt the foliage brush lightly over his wings, then he was in the shade of the huge tree's branches. His eyes adjusted to the strange green-tinged light as he sought out the bright ivory feathers of his companion. He saw her land on a branch not far away, but slightly above him. The moment her feet touched on the bark of the branch, her whole body relaxed and her eyes closed contentedly. Fawkes beat his wings- a strangely eager yet calm sensation overtaking him- and landed beside her, facing the opposite direction.

The feeling of his talons on the rough bark was like coming home. How many times had he done this- grasping a perch with his strong feet, balancing himself with his wings, sitting calm and content? Thousands of memories, moments, focused in an instant. How long had it been? Hours, years, millenia? It didn't matter, not really, not when the perfection of right then, that very moment, eclipsed all else.

After a minute, he turned to face the same direction as Hedwig and as he did so, he glanced over at her face. She was sitting still, eyes gently closed and looking utterly calm, but with a strange, pensive expression. She must have felt him land, felt the branch shudder as he turned, because she spoke in a carefully measured, though curious sounding voice, eyes still shut.

"I feel... hungry. Not as though I need to eat, but, you know, as if I...could?"  
>The last part sounded like a question. It was a reasonable question, in Fawkes' mind. Why would one need to eat when one was dead? And yet, all this, the nature, the tree, the <em>sitting<em>, it felt so real, so normal. And what was more normal than wanting to eat?  
>"Do you want to go find some food?" One of her amber eyes opened as he spoke. "I would imagine that if we had the capacity to be hungry, there would be some form of fruit trees or something..."<p>

She gave a little self-conscious chuckle, "I'm not really used to eating _fruit,_ necessarily, but I suppose I could give it a try."

The mantra of 'What could possibly go wrong?' hung unspoken in the air as the two of them alighted (all too soon, part of Fawkes' mind thought). But curiosity overcame him as to the limits of this world- what, if anything, he couldn't do.

After gliding back out from under the tree's shade, Fawkes quickly spotted a small tree beside the pond, one with little objects- light cerise in colour but pear-shaped- growing in bunches along its branches. He crossed over to it quickly to perch on one of the lower branches. He leaned his beak towards one of clumps and inhaled its heady scent. It smelled lovely, like a flower, but it also made his mouth water a bit, like the most delicious fruit he'd ever tasted. He quickly took a small bite. The texture was perfectly smooth and soft but somehow effervescent, as though bursting with life. It tasted unlike anything Fawkes had ever tried, although was reminiscent of something he couldn't quite pinpoint. It had the strangest effect, however, of recalling him to a cheerful time of his past, the specific memory unclear but the happiness nearly palpable. Unable to stop himself from grinning, he took another bite.

Not too far away, he saw Hedwig splashing around near the water. He was confused until he saw her head flash down, then reappear, glinting with water, with a fish in her beak. Evidently, though she'd made to follow him, she'd ultimately chosen to do what was more natural for her, hunt for food. Fawkes had always preferred the pieces of fruit, or sometimes cheese, that the Headmaster brought him, but he knew that the Hogwarts owls would sooner eat rodents or bats (or students' bacon, he recalled fondly). He watched her inattentively for a moment (still nibbling on his fruit) as she started to peel strips off the fish with her beak and claws. Halfway through eating a piece, though, her head shot straight up to look at the phoenix, eyes wide and expression horrified. Startled, Fawkes quickly flew over to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking around wildly for he wasn't sure what, that could be making the owl appear so panicked. He looked back over to her after a second after he noticed she hadn't said a word.

"This fish," she finally got out.

"Is it...poisoned..?" It felt as though a block of ice was sliding down into his chest.

"No... at least...not for me, but-"

"Hedwig, what is it?

"It seemed so alive, when I was hunting, I didn't think twice. But isn't this the afterlife? Didn't it die in the living world, and then reappear here to live as we did? Did I destroy it, but not kill it? Or if I did kill it, what will happen to it now?"

Fawkes was entirely thrown by the question. He didn't have a single answer, and he even started to feel the way Hedwig looked as the implications hit him. Is that what this place was? Was the price of living in this paradise destroying others' afterlife? He began to panic slightly at this revelation until a small but important part of his brain spoke up. _That couldn't possibly be it. Even life wasn't as cruel as that. Maybe this afterlife is just life for other creatures, and that they're bound for another place after their death. Or maybe, if this place was created for them, the fish weren't alive to begin with. _Something other than the apparent reality, at least.

Fawkes recounted these suggestions to the owl, keeping his voice as steady as he could, and was relieved to see the terror on her face dissipate.

"Yeah, that must be it..." she muttered, sounding unsure but appearing grateful at Fawkes' suggestion. "But for now, I think I'll just try to... eat some of that fruit..."

The phoenix successfully stopped himself from chuckling at her grimace that accompanied the words, but the smile that came forth was inevitable.

"Trust me, you'll love it, they're amazing."

"The only fruit I've ever tried was Harry's orange juice"

"Well then you're missing out! I promise they're good, and I won't turn my beak up at you if you have to spit it out... which I doubt will happen" he added hastily, noticing her skeptical look.

"Fine," she grumbled half-heartedly, though he noted that she didn't hesitate much before flying off towards Fawkes' fruit-laden tree. He followed her, grinning a bit, and came to rest beside her on a low branch. She was already sniffing interestedly at the bunches, her eyes glazed over a little.

"...Okay..." she ceded. "I will only try some because they smell so very lovely." Her voice was careful, precise, but he could tell she was teasing. He decided to play along.

"Perhaps you oughtn't, a carnivorous bird such as yourself? You wouldn't want to get indigestion... I've changed my mind, you shouldn't try any."

Fawkes learned on that day how very completely a look could say 'screw you'.

She reached out tentatively and plucked a small beak-ful of the strange fruit. Fawkes watched her eyes widen as she tasted it, swallowing quickly and quickly darted back for another bite. Fawkes could barely suppress his triumphant smile.

"See, not so bad, is it?"

Fawkes also learned another look, one that hissed at you to 'shut up, I am enjoying the refreshments'. The phoenix smirked. Then he suddenly stopped, staring fixedly at the horizon. What was that?

It was only a twinkling in the distance that caught his eye, but in the strongest surge of instinct he'd ever experienced, he knew exactly what it meant, what it was. He stood frozen on his perch for a split second before gracefully alighting. In a dreamlike state, he started to fly slowly towards the flash, totally oblivious to Hedwig's existence until he heard her give a startled little squawk at his sudden departure, then the rush of wings behind him as she followed. Part of Fawkes's mind felt guilty for the fact that he was ignoring her (especially when she called out "What's wrong, Fawkes?"), but that feeling was eclipsed by the whirlwind of thoughts racing through it. He had seen him. The one person Fawkes had been dying (no pun intended) to see vibrant and alive and real, since the phoenix had caught a glimpse of his broken form at the base of the tower, since the time he felt the bond between the two of them tear for the first time. _Tear_, but not _break_. Because that bond was so strong, Fawkes realized as he flew (now lightning-fast with excitement) towards the ever-clearing image, that even in death the two could always find each other again.

At the last minute, Fawkes came to his senses and slowed, feeling the wind buffet around his feathers. Luckily for him, Hedwig seemed to have the same idea; otherwise Fawkes felt he might have had an owl presently impaled in his back. At least, that's what he would have noticed if he had been paying any attention to her.

"Albus!" Fawkes usually prided himself on his presence of mind and calm demeanour, and a small part of his mind was embarrassed to discover that both qualities had quite abandoned him at this time. The rest of him didn't really care. Seeing Dumbledore again... It was like being healed, like he didn't know he was ill until he was cured.

He didn't look old. That was the first thing Fawkes noticed, as he observed the man standing amidst a circle of trees and pointed rocks. His hair and beard were as white as ever, every line on his face still present. But behind his skin shone through such life and vigour and youth, which Fawkes had only ever seen before in men of much fewer years than his late master. The second thing was his clothing. In his lifetime, Dumbledore usually wore heavy silvery-grey, or white-and-gold brocade robes. Now they appeared to be of a light, flowy material, and were mostly green, with blue, red and gold overlays. They fluttered around him in the slight breeze, giving him an appearance of a woodland deity of some legend. The wizard's smile was blinding. It filled his face, extending, so it seemed, to the fingertips of his hands which were half-raised in welcome. Two perfect, un-blackened hands.

"Fawkes, my dear friend, I was expecting you. And Hedwig, my dear! You are most welcome. But of course, I need not tell you that!" His characteristic, benign attitude was there, but he also appeared to be nearly bursting with joy and excitement. It would've been almost comical if not for the fact that Dumbledore was emulating Fawkes' emotions exactly.

Fawkes was momentarily surprised at hearing human speech again. Not that he hadn't been expecting it, but it had been so long since he'd heard it, it took a few seconds to register its use. Of course, he could always understand human words and languages, but he wasn't sure whether humans could understand his own speech. _Hedwig speaks in a different way than I do_, he reminded himself, _and yet I understand what she says, and she understands me_. Those last few words reverberated in his thoughts, but he pushed them out of the way. He had so much to say to Albus, but somehow none of the words would come out.

Thankfully, Hedwig didn't have that problem. She rushed towards him, and perched on a tall rock nearby. Fawkes realized he was still hovering in midair, and flapped his wings lightly to land on a small tree next to the rock.

"Dumbledore! I mean- Albus-sir-"

"Please, my dear, call me whatever you'd like."

"Ok, um, Albus," She looked momentarily shy, but soon it vanished in her earnest. "Do you know what happened to Harry? I mean, I guess you… died- if you don't mind me saying so- at the same time as Fawkes, but… I guess you wouldn't know, but you're Albus Dumbledore so I just thought…"

"It's all right, Hedwig, I understand perfectly. Just like your old master, thinking of others before yourself!" The old headmaster's voice was empathetic, reassuring. "And Harry would be proud, if he knew you now. And I assure you, he's quite okay. He's in danger, and he always will be as long as Voldemort remains. But you know him, Hedwig. He won't come here without a fight, or until he's ready. Which reminds me, I believe I owe you a thank you," he directed the statement to Hedwig, but then smiled over at Fawkes. "I don't believe our phoenix friend would've been able to find me here, nor I he, were it not for your guidance. But, please allow my idle curiosity to surface for a moment, how did you two find each other? And how did you come to be here?"

Hedwig, who seemed immensely cheered by the old Headmaster's praise, gestured slightly to Fawkes, letting the other bird tell the story. Having regained some of his composure, he began to recount their adventure, starting with flying off into the clouds following his Lament. During this part, he noticed Dumbledore's eyes start to shine a little, and felt slightly embarrassed. He didn't really understand why; Fawkes had seen Albus at his strongest, and at his weakest. It must be this place, the newness of everything, that he felt he might need to re-acquaint himself with the headmaster, among everything else. Except Hedwig, he reminded himself provided they were meant to stick together. But at this point, he realized, he would probably fight whatever he needed to in order to ensure that happened.

Dumbledore was an engaged audience; he listened in earnest curiosity when the phoenix told of the place of silver mists and the concept of Sanctuary, and in wide-eyed amazement at Hedwig's bravery when she faced the flames in the world of nothingness. He chuckled conspiratorially with Hedwig at the revelation that Fawkes couldn't track people, and smiled at the phoenix's description of their entrance into this paradise-like place (Fawkes was only partially aware of his tendency to overuse superlatives while describing this last part of their journey). The one thing he omitted from his recounting is his and Hedwig's uncertainty at why fate had thrust them together on this adventure. For some reason, he felt as though these conversations were… almost too personal even to recount to the old headmaster.

Fawkes had finally reached the part where Hedwig was hunting the fish, and as he was explaining their fears at the creature's fate, he turned to the owl. The words died on his beak- the same terrified expression as before haunted her ivory face. Fawkes glanced towards Dumbledore, and saw that the headmaster had also noticed. The old wizard immediately approached her, laid his hand gently on her back and then spoke softly, addressing the two birds;

"My dear, selfless, brave owl, do not lament the past. And understand that the worlds are not cruel to their creatures. When one life ends, another always begins, just as yours, and Fawkes's has. There is a world waiting to bring every creature home."

The owl sniffled, looking a bit embarrassed but nevertheless reassured. Then, looking up into his eyes of clearest blue, she asked the question that Fawkes had often wanted to pose to the late headmaster but had never gotten the chance;

"How is it that you know so much? That you always answer whatever question anyone asks you?"

Okay, so maybe the phoenix wouldn't have phrased it quite as… overtly as that… However, it seemed to have served its purpose; Albus's serious face cracked into an amused smile and, winking towards Fawkes (who gave a bemused, half-shrug, causing the old headmaster to grin even more widely), he said to her;

"Oh, is that what you've heard from Harry? Well, yes, yes I'm quite honoured he thinks so much of me! It's a good job I didn't tell him I make it up as I go along, hmm?" He faux-whispered this last bit, clearly trying to cheer up the smaller bird. At Hedwig's audible giggle, Fawkes smiled. Dumbledore was so genuine, in a way the phoenix had never seen any other human be during his life- a human talking to, and _joking _with, a bird? Unheard of, and yet so natural in this place.

Fawkes soon realized that his mind was wandering, and remembered that he really did want to hear Albus's answer to the other bird's question. He quickly turned his attention back to the other two, in time to hear the wizard say,

"-that some creatures of the earth- wizards included- are granted the ability to understand the laws that govern the universe. I, being among those blessed few, have always found myself drawn to teaching, so I can share my knowledge. Because there is no purpose to knowledge unless it can be used, or shared. And so I always welcome questions, which are much more potent than most people will ever realize. As for why I know so much," he said, mock-grandly, "It's really only because I'm _far_ older than is good for me."

Fawkes snorted rather inelegantly, causing the other two to look round at him, and then burst into laughter.

They eventually resumed a comfortable silence, which was after a time broken by the old wizard.

"This isn't your final Resting place, you know. I know you've travelled far to get here, and you're always welcome to come back. But this too is like a gateway to your own personal Paradise. I'm sorry to tell you that your journey isn't quite over, but you're very close. The last few steps- so to speak- are before you, but alas I cannot join you in them. I am awaiting another at this Gateway, though I imagine it will appear quite different to him than to the two of you. So it saddens me to say it, but the time has come for us to part."

Fawkes felt a sudden feeling of urgency; there was so much to say to the Headmaster, so much he hadn't asked, that he hadn't said. So much, still, he didn't know, and which he was afraid of discovering too late. So many questions he feared that even Albus wouldn't be able to answer. One stood out in his mind, but he was almost afraid to ask it- afraid that the answer might crush his spirit beyond repair. So instead, he asked,

"Albus, will we- _when_ will we see you again?"

"This is the meeting place of all the souls, a sort of common room if you will. You can find me here whenever you need me. And Hedwig, when , as all souls do, your Master finally arrives, you may come to greet him."

"But where are we to go?"

"You, Fawkes, always woke in the morning far before I did, to watch the sun rise. It, even then, was calling your spirit. Follow the summoning, and you will find your Sanctuary. Hedwig, I would often see you out the window, silhouetted in the moonlight, as I put out the candle in my bedchambers. At night, you feel at peace with the universe, which is a sign. Follow the moon, and you will find what you're looking for. But for now," He pointed into the distance, where a pair of craggy mountains could barely be made out, "Fly towards the mountains until sundown. Then you'll know what to do. But before I go, I have some final wisdom to bestow on you.

"First, there are no evil spirits here, and from any point onwards. No malice, no fear, no anger. Everything is quite benign, so worry not. But you will never lose your capacity to feel. Even in eternity, all things end and begin anew, even happiness, even sadness.

"Second, you will come to know that time and space are both everything, and nothing. You have all the time in the universe, and no time at all. This place is boundless, and concentrated to a tiny pinpoint. It's all perspective. These may seem confusing now but you'll soon grow accustomed to it.

"Third, you can never go back- back to earth, back to the place of silver mists, or the place of emptiness. Even when you return here, it will never be exactly as you remember it. But do not mourn the losses, for all souls may eventually be found, and your Sanctuary will always bring you comfort. Change is not to be feared, for things always have a way of working out. Remember that.

"And last, and most important, the spirits that are intertwined, those who have shared stories in the book of one's life, will always find one another; much in the way that we two did, Fawkes. Love creates an un-severable bond between those whom it touches. The universe is not cruel, and spirits aren't intended to exist alone, anywhere. Know that when you follow the paths to your Sanctuary."

At this point, the headmaster was looking steadily at the two birds, and Fawkes felt rather as though his bright blue eyes were staring through his body to his mind, his heart. He realized it was time to say goodbye, but when he tried to say it, the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he got out, "We'll- we'll see you soon, Albus."

Hedwig's amber eyes were shining slightly, and she said, "Thank you for everything, Albus. I'll- I'll be waiting for Harry when he… when he comes here."

"Farewell, my dear, sweet owl, may you find your sanctuary in peace. Fawkes-" He beckoned the phoenix towards him, and when Fawkes neared, Albus stroked his golden head lightly. The wizard spoke softly to him, saying, "The sun and moon have different orbits, but I think you'll find they end up in the same place, eventually."

Then the old headmaster straightened up, smiled gently at the two of them, and said "Good luck on your journey, I hope to see you both soon!" He then turned away and started walking back towards the towering willow tree and the glittering pond. Fawkes watched Albus Dumbledore's retreating back until it became a speck in the distance, and then, in a glint of gold, disappeared.

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><p><strong>AN: Hi! Do any of you remember me? I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, I think it's been nearly a year since I updated this story...**

**So... my excuse was going to be school, but Christmas break passed and I wasn't done and then march break passed and I wasn't done, and then school finished and I wasn't done... **

**Anyways, I hope this extra long chapter (for me anyways- nearly double the length of the last one, it wouldn't let me end it) and the presence of Dumbledore (over whose characteristics I AGONIZED because I love him and wanted him to be as in-character as possible) makes up for it? A little, maybe?**

**This chapter is dedicated to Amber Icefire who, apart from leaving the loveliest reviews, gave a lot of suggestions for this story, without which this chapter STILL probably wouldn't be done... (Shameless plug- go check out her fic "Emma Crouch", which is brilliant)**

**Shoutout also to Amber's sister, Crystalfeather12, who is awesome too!**

**I try to respond to all of my reviews, but thanks again to everyone who's continued to review, follow, and or favourite this story! Seeing any of those notifications in my mailbox absolutely makes my day (and encourages me to write faster!) so THANK YOU for your faithfulness to this story and me! And I'd love to know what you thought of this chapter, so... you know what to do! *hints***

**And finally, if anyone's following Star and Moon, I'm going to try to update that soon as well, so... keep a lookout? :D**


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